Tree stands and ladder stands used by hunters generally include a platform on which to stand and an optional seat. A hunter then typically sits or stands until a target animal is spotted, at which point the hunter raises his or her firearm, such as a rifle, shotgun or crossbow to aim and fire at the target. To assist the hunter, certain stands include a steady rest upon which the hunter can rest the gun barrel or crossbow when aiming or firing. The extra support afforded by the steady rest can improve accuracy while also allowing a hunter to extend his or her shooting range.
While traditional steady rests are available, these rests suffer a number of significant drawbacks. For instance and without limitation, prior art steady rests are cumbersome and heavy, making their deployment difficult and frustrating. That is, the hunter must carry the stand with steady rest into the field or forest to the location of choice. A tow rope is then used to pull the stand and rest up the tree where the stand can be mounted onto the tree. The cumbersome stand and rest make are difficult to raise up the tree as their bulk entangles with or otherwise interferes with tree branches, limbs and leaves. Additionally, these steady rests are fixed members mounted to the stand. As a result, adjustment and optimization are not possible. Rather, the hunter must “make do” with the location of the steady rest and attempt to use the rest to the best advantage possible.
Thus, there is a need for a universal steady rest system that can be attached to all tree stands, hang-on ladder stands and climbers, as well as ground-based pedestals. There is a further need for a compact, universal steady rest system wherein the steady rest can be quickly and easily removed and reinstalled from a universal mount, thereby allowing a single steady rest to be used on any number of mounts/stands. The present invention addresses these, and other, needs.